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Aedan the Conqueror
275 PB - 391 PB Aedan the Conqueror was the first known Kreedian Emperor and the original unifier of the Teuton tribes. Being born into a wealthy noble family within the crumbling states of Grecos, Aedan helped fight wars for Illyria in the name of his father the Duke (who had seized power from a previous family). After his father's death, Aedan rose to become the Duke of Illyria, and lead the duchy into a period of great prosperity. After hearing a prophecy atop the holy mountain of Old Grecos about the eventual doom of the entire Grecan people and their lands, Aedan set about to sail his people away from the doomed continent and find them a new home. With a great army, Aedan found Europa and the Teuton tribes. His campaigns are known to be some of the greatest and most decisive in Semperian history, and it was with his strength and might that the Teuton tribes were united. Unlike the Gauls however who were going through a similar process of unification, Aedan did not intend to install a feudal system for his conquered tribes. Instead he gave their leaders positions within the government, but was able to keep his military and authority almost completely centralized. Through this, he became the first Emperor of the newly established Kreedian Empire. Aedan's military skill is renowned as one of the greatest within history. His ability to plan, micromanage and execute battles with ruthless efficiency has earned him a reputation not only within his nation of Kreedia and the surrounding Europan states, but in some cases worldwide. It was Aedan who originally installed the holy creed (or Kreed), an ancient Grecan military code that became the religious basis for the second Imperial faith (the first being the original native faiths of the Teuton tribes and the Third faith being the later established Church of the Light). History Childhood Aedan grew up in Liburni in the year 275 PB, the capital city of the Grecan duchy of Illyria. Like most other Grecan states, Illyria was in decline at ths time of his birth, and it no longer held the great strength it once did. Although for years it had been ruled under the Republic of Aerthen, Illyria had been retaken by one of the ancient kings of the Grecians and was now established as a duchy once more. In his youth, Aedan's father Exetus had been the lord of their minor noble house, however it was when the power of the current duke began to fade that Exetus seized the opportunity and, with the support of the other nobles, overthrew the current Duke and established the Lightbringers as the new dukes of Illyria. The Duke of Illyria When Aedan's father died, Aedan ascended to become the Duke. At the age of 15, Aedan was the ruler of the entire duchy, but the sceptical nobles already doubted the young lord. Aedan discovered a plot to overthrow his rule and establish a new form of government, and so the duke created a plan. He hid in his estate for several weeks, feigning to mourn longer than he needed to over the death of his father. The nobles of Illyria were expected to go and pay their respects to Exetus, and so they arrived on Aedan's estate as tradition dictated they did. When they were all inside, Aedan locked the doors and seized them, imprisoning most of them and executing the ringleaders. Now, with the nobles silenced, the other states of Grecos began to declare the young duke to be a tyrant. Any plans they had against him were interrupted in the years to come however when the Great Prophet called the Lords of Grecos to the holy mountain. The prophecy When Aedan was 17, he and the other lords of Grecos were called to the holy mountain by the Great Prophet. It was their holy duty to attend, and despite their distrust of each other, each Lord of the Grecans respected the holiness of the mountain and ate in peace together. When the Prophet finally appeared to them, it declared to them that the islands of Grecos were doomed to sink when the dark mountain to the far south spewed fire. The oracle declared that the Grecans were doomed, and they needed to flee. While the lords respected the Prophet, many had grown used to the holy visions of the Prophets being false, and so dismissed this as being the same. They did not see how this could be the case, the mountain seemed to be no threat to them. Aedan however was no fool. He had sensed that the mountain was near to its eruption, and even his court wizard declared the mountain to be a great threat. Summoning up his entire nation, Aedan prepared to flee across the sea to find new lands. The Prophet told Aedan alone, the only Lord who remained to hear more of the Prophet, that there were fertile lands in the West, safe from the shadow of the mountain. (edit: the inefficiency of the old Greacan nobility inspires Aedan to build Kreedia later. As he flees Graecos, being pulled away by his family as he tries to rush and save those who are burning, Aedan reflects on the fact that this could have been avoided if the inefficient nobility of before had been more united and trusting of one another. Edit2: Probably not this, but when Aedan lands, he instead puts up a huge wooden board with his 'kreed' on it, a code of government and the world he intends to build. He is dismissed as a Graecan fanatic, but when his cause attracts support, the nobles become worried. His cultural revolution sweeps the Teutonic tribes). The invasion of Europa While the Prophet may have intended for Aedan to simply negotiate with the tribes of the West, the Duke had different ideas. A year later, Aedan prepared his entire nation to leave their native home. Sailing in a great fleet, almost all Illyrians followed their duke across the sea, sailing to the fertile lands of the West. 3 days after Illyria was abandoned, the mountain erupted, and Grecos was decimated. When Aedan found the Western tribes, he at first landed in the lands of the Asimii. These warriors were noble and just, but they were unprepared to face the enemies that challenged them. They were the only tribe that would accept Aedan and his refugees, but the Asimii had issues of their own. This was because Aedan's mother had in fact been the first daughter of the Asimii chief Telrand. The Asimii had long held good relations with Illyria, and so naturally they welcomed their foreign friends. The Asimii held the same gods as the Graecans, and considered Aedan and his people to be of an almost demi-god status due to their closeness with the divine. This cultural difference however made the Asimii a prime target for the other tribes who had long hated their culture. In particular, the Hellerics had rallied a confederation of tribes to kill Telrand and the Asimii. Several battles were fought, with Aedan serving under Telrand (who he considered to be almost a father figure) and the two learning from each other - with Telrand teaching patience and Aedan ferocity. Already the Greacan had earned the name 'eastern wolf' and 'surviving dragon' among this new union of people. Telrand was captured however, with Aedan quickly rallying what forces he could to march on Vicus Hellerici, the stronghold in which the confederated forces had gathered. Aedan was vastly outnumbered, his men were afraid and he had to lay siege anyway. Nevertheless however, the vengeance of the eastern wolf was severe. Utilising ancient Greacan tactics and playing his enemies for fools, such as by calling his enemy for parlay as he manoeuvred cavalry and luring them with traps and bait, Aedan utterly decimated the huge confederated army, the largest seen in history, systematically beating them in the field and then laying siege to the fortress. Aedan executed every confederated tribal chief and enslaved the soldiers, burning the forests around them and even going as far as to nail the bodies of some of the condemned to wooden poles in a technique named 'crucifixion', said to be named after this battle because of him. Telrand was slain as Aedan freed him however, being shot by an arrow by the Helleric chief Farenn. As he died, Telrand formerly gave command of the tribe to Aedan, and asked him to build a new kingdom, so that the 'fires of Graecos did not die'. As he is famously quoted as saying 'Please, let the fires of Greacos forge together the misused steel of my people. Build the kingdom of ages, the promised empire (a supposed state called to exist in Graecan faith). We are not Teutons, we are not Graecans. Now, we are men of the Kreed (the religious text of the Graecan temples). We will illuminate this night of nights'. Saddened but not disheartened, Aedan spoke Telrand's words to his new people. The Kreedians were born. Such was his victory, heralded by thunder, that Aedan was thought to be blessed by the gods. His soldiers, now utterly devoted to him, became the foundation of what Aedan would call his 'legion', and would follow him through several other ferocious campaigns as Aedan began his campaign to unite and civilise the barbarian people of Teutonicus Kreedari and the forests of Ani. Aedan now made it clear to Liadri - the old order was dead. He was not here to build a larger tribe, or to establish a kingdom as had been done in Gaulois. He was here for one purpose - to build the promised empire. Liadri could be his wife, if she wished, but the Asimii and the Hellerics were dead, they were now one people - the imperial people. Liadri agreed passionately, having long suffered under the old tribes. Aedan's later conquests would be similar in nature and increasingly cunning. In some cases, such as the conquest of the Ostracarii, a show of absolute strength would work. Aedan's military tactics and techniques were some of the best in the world at the time, and his prowess in battle became famed. In other instances, where brute strength was not enough, political intrigue and plotting would work, with the young conqueror's micro-management being impeccable. While Liadri's sense of justice kept Aedan in check, this newly forming 'supreme chief' (later crowned emperor) would not suffer defiance and was prone to extreme but stoic emotionless tactical decision making. (edit: a few ideas. The Asimii may be a Greacan colony, separated but having relations with the old Graecan kingdoms. Secondly, the quotes from Telrand may need to be less cheesy. Simply called Kreedia because region is known as Teutonicus Kreedari rather than the Kreed. The prophecy states 'a people born from fire and snow will sweep the world'. Teutons breeding with Greacans produces a new kind of people.' Alternatively the invasion could be ethnic, with old people living here being pushed back into the forests as tribals. Graecans may be invading forests filled with elves or night stalkers. Might remove a degree of political intrigue however. Having a mixed people would be a little more ethnically interesting however. Teutons would be black of hair and dark of eyes. Graecans would be white of hair and light of eyes. Combined, they produce blonde haired mixed eyed people, Kreedians, the people of fire and snow. This might be a little too ethnically focused however, and add too much complexity. Finally, the Greacan people may effectively be bred out. The royal family are the only prominent Graecans, known as the last Graecans and the 'bringers of the eastern light'. This means Kreedia can be ethnically diverse while also elevating the royal family as heirs to the Graecan blood.' Naming It is believed that Aedan was born Aedan Kovsenko, and his later adoption of the name 'Lightbringer' was done in an attempt to seize religious support in western Europa. No formal records exist of Illyrian dukes beyond tombs, with the tombs never naming specific dynasties and instead noting only that they ruled. Aedan's father Petrys was named Petrys Kovsenko, meaning 'mountain', but it is unknown if this is a nickname or a family name. Nevertheless, Aedan's landing was heralded by a religious conflict - between the native faith (which would eventually evolve and be override by the temples) and the 'new faith', holding belief in 'the Lightbringer'. The new faith was a monotheistic religion becoming increasingly popular in some regions, but its severity and harshness attracted radicals and oppressed those who wanted to live free and 'heretical' lives. Aeden reportedly marched up to the shining temple at the height of the new faith's power, kicked down the doors and shouted 'I am your god now'. The terrified priests thus named him the Lightbringer made manifest, supporting him and reducing their activity. Aedan turned these priests progressively into an order of researchers, with the new faith dying as quickly as it had risen. Quotes Aedan.jpg|Aedan Lightbringer visenya__aegon__rhaenys_targaryen_by_andrewryanart-d7nwj0y (1).jpg|Aedan with two Graecan noble allies 1464123908181867435.jpg|Aedan subduing a Teuton lord Category:Character